UN meeting to explore ways to strengthen dialogue and cooperation on human rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

GENEVA (28 November 2019) – Exploring the vital link between the realization of the 2030 Agenda, its sustainable development goals (SDGs), and human rights will be at the center of discussions taking place during a full-day meeting in Geneva on Tuesday, 3 December. 

The second intersessional meeting on human rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, mandated by the Human Rights Council, will take place in room 20 at the Palais des Nations from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., is open to the media, and will be webcast live. 

Next week's meeting will build on the conclusions of the first intersessional meeting that took place on 16 January this year, while participants continue to explore how the implementation of human rights contributes to achieving the SDGs and realizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

A high-profile group of experts from member States, United Nations agencies, national human rights institutions and civil society organizations will meet under the chairpersonship of Ambassador Frank Tressler Zamorano of Chile.

Speakers at the meeting include:

• Ambassador Coly Seck, President of the Human Rights Council and Permanent Representative of Senegal to the UN Office at Geneva (opening statement)
• Kate Gilmore, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights (opening remarks)
• Sima Samar, Special Envoy of the President of Afghanistan and State Minister for Human Rights and International Relations
• Maria-Francesca Spatolisano, Assistant-Secretary General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs in the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
• Jens Wandel, Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on Reforms
• Ambassador Mona Juul, President of the UN Economic and Social Council (via video message)

Mirroring the theme of the 2020 High-Level Political Forum on sustainable development, 'Accelerated action and transformative pathways: Realizing the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development,' the meeting will:

• share good practices and lessons learned on implementing the SDGs and realizing human rights as essential to the fulfilment of the 2030 Agenda;
• aim to make the next decade one of action and delivery; and 
• build on the opportunities of the UN development reform.

During the lunch break, a knowledge fair will promote the exchange of information on good practices, projects and methodologies successfully integrating human rights in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

For further details and the programme, please visit the webpage of the meeting and information on all speakers.  The meeting will be webcast live and will be fully accessible to persons with disabilities.

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ENDS

BACKGROUND:

In March 2018, the Human Rights Council adopted resolution 37/24 on the promotion and protection of human rights and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In the resolution, the Council decided to organize two one-day intersessional meetings for dialogue and cooperation on human rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The first focused on the theme of the 2019 session of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development "Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality." In the political declaration of the September 2019 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, [under the auspices of the General Assembly], the United Nations decided to make the coming decade one of action and delivery for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. [It reaffirmed the commitment at the very heart of the 2030 Agenda to leave no one behind.] The second meeting on 3 December 2019 will focus on the contribution of human rights to the decade of action and delivery.

For additional information and media requests, please contact:  Rolando Gómez, Media Officer, Human Rights Council Branch, OHCHR, at +41 22 917 9711 / rgomez@ohchr.org; Aisha Gilani, Human Rights Officer, OHCHR, at +41 22 928 9207 / agilani@ohchr.org